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Saturday

Spicy Apple Recipes

Your thoughts may be on warmer days, but while winter is still in full force, it might be a good time to experiment with a couple of apple recipes. Apples make flavorful dessert ingredients, and with the right compliment of spices, they can be a delicious end to a meal.

I have a couple of favorites below. I like making them this time of year. They reheat well the next day with ice cream or melted cheese (an old timey option that's surprisingly good).

Making late winter apple dishes always reminds me of the good old days. About this time of year, the root cellar would be getting bare, and those apples stored in the barn would be wrinkly and probably only good for cooking. If you want to squirrel away a few apples next season, lose the picturesque straw. Wrap each apple in a sheet of newsprint and place the batch in a cool location. These are some varieties that store well: Fuji, Golden Delicious and Braeburn.

Give one of these apple recipes a try before the temperatures warm up. You'll like the blend of spices and love all those scents permeating the kitchen. They make good Sunday dessert fare when the kids are home and the furnace is working overtime.

Directions for Spicy Baked Apples

Wash apples and remove tops, cores, seeds and stems.

Brush lightly with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.

Melt butter in a small saucepan and add the sugar, spices and half the apple cider. Stir until the spices begin to release their aromas (and essential oils), about 60 seconds. Be careful not to burn the butter. (Note: if using fresh ginger, just place it in the saucepan with the rest of the spices and remove it when everything has melted and blended.

Pour the other half of the apple cider into a non-metal baking dish and top with the apples (cut side up)

Spoon equal amounts of sauce into the well of each apple. (I sometimes also add a few raisins or dried cherries and walnut pieces. I like raisins and nuts but no everyone in the family is keen for them.)

Cook in the middle rack of a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until tender.

Serve warm with the sauce from the bottom of the pan drizzled back over the apples.

For a more indulgent dessert, place a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream into the depression in the apple and sprinkle a little nutmeg over the top. You can also place a couple of tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese in the depression and pop the apples back into the oven until the cheese melts (2 to 3 minutes).
Serves 4